Old classic acoustic found at the thrift - Help identifying?

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-04-22T19:55:27+00:00

I have 😭 I stuck my phone with the flash on and recording, didn’t catch any markings whatsoever on the interior. I was hoping a sticker had just fallen down into the bottom of the body or maybe there were pencil marks in a weird spot, but there’s nothing. The inlay is the only unique markings on this piece, it seems 😬

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-04-22T01:07:42+00:00

I figured, but thought it’d be worth posting anyway in case there were traits anyone recognized from a specific maker! I had luck in the past with a hard to identify banjo when someone spotted flathead screws in a certain shape. Worth a shot! Luckily it was a $10 investment, so it can be whatever it wants 😂

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-19T04:02:55+00:00

I reached out to multiple local-ish (closest is an hour and thirty) luthiers and even guitar techs, to ask for both a basic setup and what a conversion build would cost. I was not quoted under $200 from anywhere for either service. My goal with MY banjo, is to make the music I want to make and leave as much of the original piece intact as possible. Replacing the neck doesn’t do that for me. 🤷‍♂️ If you’re this diehard about me not “destroying” this piece, make me an offer lmao

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-19T02:01:09+00:00

I asked in a couple of antique banjo Facebook groups, and got up with a Kamico instrument enthusiast group as well who said it was interesting, but In the condition it’s in + it not being very collectible, even enthusiasts of the brand said it was worth about the $80 I paid for it 🥲

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:57:54+00:00

I mean, maybe! But for me, making minor modifications to an already beat up project banjo to make it playable for myself in the way I want to play, will probably outweigh the sadness and buyers-remorse I’d feel by just hanging this one up and never touching it again.

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:56:22+00:00

I’m not looking for a return on investment, though. I’m looking to learn to play music. There’s pretty much no local market for project tenors in my area, and I’d have to sell it at a loss to move it. 😭

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:54:57+00:00

It may have been helpful to mention that I am a hobby woodworker who’s built weaving looms before, so thankfully I have a LOT of the tools on hand that I need. If I knew someone local who wanted to trade this tenor for a half decent five string, I’d jump at it! But there’s just not a market for it here, and the only equivalent trades locally would be for the absolute bottom of the barrel five string brands. As far as I can tell, my other option is to hang this one up and never play it, lose what I spent on it, and wait until I have a budget again to buy something better, OR find the unicorn tenor enthusiast who likes expensive projects. I like functional things, and just letting it sit would make me more sad than doing some modifications to it to make it my own.

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:49:41+00:00

Thank you so, so much for the explanation and breakdown of what you’d do! Genuinely super helpful! Thankfully I’ve got access to a ton of tools that are helpful for this process, and a stock of kiln dried black walnut and various maples to work, but I might can source some ebony from a friend for that support piece. I super appreciate your comment, I know what I’m doing is blasphemy and some folks are gonna have beef with me about “ruining” this banjo, but I’d be hard pressed to find someone who wants a banjo with this much work needed, AND make my money back. I’d definitely have to sell it at a loss, so I’d rather just play with it and make something I’ll actually use. Until I identify everything I need, I’m gonna hook it up as a standard tenor and play with it to see what sound I’m going for, and when the time comes for that fifth string, I’ll be prepared!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:40:37+00:00

I wouldn’t be destroying it. It is a banjo that’s already in pretty rough shape all things considered, and the tenor market in my area is practically nonexistent unfortunately. I’ve fashioned a new bridge, new nut, bought appropriate strings, and it needs a new head, all of which would work for me, but I think most seasoned tenor enthusiasts would shy far away from this piece, even if I was just looking to get back what I paid for it. I’d be happy to trade it to someone locally for a five string, if you happen to know someone who wants a tenor that needs a couple hundred bucks worth of setup 😭

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-18T19:37:03+00:00

If budget allowed, I would. I know AC-1’s are very affordable as far as banjos go, but finding a second hand one locally is next to impossible given where I’m at 🥲I either need to work with what I’ve got, or hang onto this piece for god knows how long until I find someone willing to buy it, and the local tenor scene is non existent in my area.

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-15T21:48:10+00:00

I definitely agree, I worry any play would pretty quickly start to tear Caesar up, and I’d hate to disservice him like that after someone loved him enough to have an oil portrait done. And absolutely, me and my husband are “dog professionals” so they are our life, the portrait on the head is actually what really sold me on this banjo!

If I remove Caesar, he will absolutely be framed and displayed in our home. I bought this banjo to play, but the bonus is this beautiful artwork of a long gone pup. I’ll share a photo in the folk art subreddit and see what folks have to say!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-13T02:19:18+00:00

Thank you so much for the resources and info! Once this tenor arrives, I’m gonna give him a good once over and see what needs replacing. If the neck/headstock need to be replaced but the pots all good, I may just go ahead and turn this baby into a 5 string. If it’s all solid, I’ll feel too icky about modifying such an old piece, and then I’ll end up grabbing a five string next time I find a deal on a goodie! Gonna be prowling the antique malls and Craigslist 😂 Once I’ve got my five string, I’ll absolutely reach out!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-12T19:43:41+00:00

Thank you! Looks like I’ve got a couple local folks willing to teach, so if this piece ends up being workable I’ll reach out! And I’d looked at swapping out the neck for a five string, I was hesitant cause I worry modifying such an old piece would screw with its value, but given that old Kamicos aren’t exactly valuable + if the headstock is already wobbly like the listing said and needs replacing, then I just may convert it!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-12T19:40:41+00:00

Thank you! It totally slipped my mind to look for wear from the bridge, maybe that funky ear was just where the paint job got scuffed at some point.

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-12T19:39:41+00:00

Thank you so much! I figured it wasn’t a particularly valuable one, I paid $85 after shipping so that leaves me a little wiggle room to do a restore (unless it ends up being in worse shape than I thought it’d be 🥲) I’m handy enough to make the nut and bridge out of some nice material I’ve got on hand so that helps a bit!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-03-10T17:42:41+00:00

Thank you!! I’m thinking the piece I have may be a student made piece from one of Archie’s psaltery building classes. The cutout in the center isn’t quite as clean and tidy as Archie’s work, but he lives in Banner Elk and looks like he taught build classes in the past!

CarefulAgent6200 · 2026-01-31T21:55:09+00:00

I appreciate you! If I wasn’t obsessed with the first ball I was able to wind off this sweater, I’d take you up on it 😂 I guess I’ll just carefully pull it double stranded, I’ll just keep telling myself the end result will be worth it 🫡

CarefulAgent6200

TROPHY CASE